Time For A Change
by Eireann
Summary: Harry Potter has decided he's tired of being lied to. He has changed over the first fortnight of vacation and is taking control of his Destiny.
1. Prologue

                Harry Potter had never looked anything like his mother- even from the day he was born.  When he came home from St Mungo's, 3 days after his birth his pitch black hair was messy, always sticking up at the back- just like his father's.  He had the same facial shape as James Potter too.  And for the first one and one-third year of his life he had a pair of brilliant blue eyes.  Just as bright as his mother's green, but a brilliant sky blue.  There was something truly magnificent about these eyes, they saw things, and they held age no infants should.

                He grew for those 1 and one-third years of his life like any wizarding child should.  Moving pictures, spells all over the place, animagi, and of course- Quidditch.  James Potter had always been a Quidditch Fanatic.

                Harry also had some "uncles" that came to play with his any chance they could get.  Two of these men would do anything to keep young Harry alive and happy.  Even kill.  But the third man would ruin Harry's life.  Not once, not twice, but three times.

                Even though people that loved him-and things any young child should know surrounded Harry, there was something amiss in the world of magic.  This thing was called Voldemort.  Or as the wizarding world knew him "You-Know-Who" or even better "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named". 

                Voldemort had been terrorizing the wizarding world for almost a decade- ever since Harry's parents had been in school.  And he didn't show any signs of letting up his Reign Of Terror. (As this was called.  Though some did prefer Rise To Power.  IT didn't really matter. Lord Thingy was Terrifying!)

                Now, Voldemort wasn't not being countered.  There were the aurors (magic police) fighting him, and one secret organization dedicated to fighting the dark (headed up by none other than Albus Dumbledore.  The greatest wizard alive, and Headmaster of Hogwarts.  Greatest wizarding-school in Europe.)

                This secret order was known as the Order of the Phoenix- an order that Harry's uncles and parents were a part of.  No one was supposed to know who was part of it, but there was a leak in the order.  So, the members were slowly being hunted down, and killed.  This leak in the order, and this war in their world put a rather large strain on the Potter's life.  But soon life was going to get a lot more stressful…

                At a job interview for the post of Divination professor at Hogwarts a prophecy was made.  This prophecy was made by Sibyl Trelawney- great-great- granddaughter of a famous seer.  This prophecy had the power to turn the course of this decade-long war.

**_"The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches…_**

**_born to those who have thrice defied him, _**

**_born as the seventh month dies…_**

**_and the dark lord will mark him as his equal,_**

**_but he will have a power the dark lord knows not…_**

**_and either must die at the hand of the other,_**

**_for neither can live while the other survives…_**

**_The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord will be born as the seventh month dies…"_**

Of course, this could have worked out better for everyone in the order, if a Death Eater (follower of Voldemort) hadn't been listening through the door.  But as he was detected part way through the prophecy the whole thing could not be related to his lord.

There were two people whom this prophesy could relate to- Harry- and one Neville Longbottom. Both families chose to go into hiding.   They used a complex charm (called the Fidelus Charm) to hide.  This charm included a secret keeper to hold the information of where the people hid.  The Longbottoms chose Gideon Prewitt- Alice Longbottom's best friend.  The Potters chose Sirius Black- James' best friend. But under the insistence of Sirius Black they chose Peter Pettigrew.  No one would think to go after Peter Pettigrew.  He was the weakest of the group of four- and not as close to James and either Sirius or Remus Lupin. 

This plan really was a stroke of genius on the part of Sirius- except for the fact that Peter had been the leak in the order.

Now, Voldemort got the information out of Gideon Prewitt right before he killed the Prewitt brothers.  And Peter Pettigrew wilfully told Voldemort where to find the Potters, almost right after the charm had been completed.

The fateful night arrived and Voldemort attacked.  On Halloween 1981 Voldemort attacked Godric's Hollow and killed both Lily and James Potter. But as Lily shielded her son's body with her own, begging for mercy she unleashed a powerful and ancient magic.  And at the very moment the killing curse hit her the magic leached itself into her son's veins and ran in his blood.  Voldemort could not kill Harry.  And as he tried, he was torn from his body, and disappeared for the next 13 years.  Everyone thought he had been defeated, and so they rejoiced.  Making Harry Potter saviour of the magic world.

After that night, the baby Harry's brilliant blue eyes, started to turn the striking emerald green of his mother.  And finally a full two years later- to the hour Harry Potter's eyes had fully turned to the green colour everyone knew.  This signified, that the protection was fully imbued in his blood.

But his guardians- Vernon and Petunia Dursley (Petunia being Lily's sister)- didn't see it this way.  They saw it as magic, for the child had come to their door a lightning shaped streak of green down his right eye.  And they saw magic as an abnormality.  Therein lay the proof that Harry was as abnormal as his parents.

So, for the next two years the Dursleys treated Harry very poorly, in hoped to stamp the "magic nonsense" out of the small boy. And finally the time came for young Harry to get his Hogwarts letter, they burned it.  As well the subsequent hundred-plus letters that came.  And the only reason that Harry got his letter was because Albus Dumbledore sent Hagrid- a friendly half giant, to get him.

And thus resulted a pattern.  Harry would go to Hogwarts for ten months with things about him being hidden from him, and coming home for the summer and being treated like swamp.

For the entire ten years Harry was with the Dursleys, Harry thought he was a normal boy and that his parents had died in a car crash.  Harry was anything but normal- and his parents were killed by Voldemort.  Then Harry thought that Sirius Black was a craze enemy of his parents.  Sirius was the Potter's best friend.  A fact Dumbledore **_conveniently_** forgot to tell Harry. And through out the first five years Harry thought the attack on his family was just a part of the war.  And then he found out that a bloody prophecy had been made about him- therefore the attack had been premeditated.

All this was a giant shock for Harry when he figured it out- especially the prophecy.  Albus Dumbledore had been using Harry- and he claimed he cared.  And for all Harry knew, maybe he did.  

But Harry was exhausted, tired of life and tired of the lies being told to him on a daily basis.  Yes, it was definitely time for a change.


	2. Escape

                Yes, Harry Potter had definitely changed over the first two weeks of his vacation.  His once sparkling green eyes were dull; he hadn't slept properly in days.  His once messy black hair had acquired a reddish sheen, and had grown a bit longer- not as long as Bill's though.  Because of the extra length his hair wasn't so messy.  But that no longer made Uncle Vernon any happy.

                This summer wasn't any good for Harry.  After the death of Sirius, things began to look down.  Harry had secretly hoped the previous year that when the ministry finally admitted the return of the Dark Lord, that they'd clear Sirius.  Harry would have finally had a good summer.  But alas, fate had not been so kind to Harry.

                Now, because of the death of Sirius, Dumbledore had decided that Harry should stay at the Dursleys- for "additional protection".  Harry wasn't sure whether that was true, or whether Dumbledore wanted him out of the way so that he could further his plots.  As any respectable leader of a secret organisation should.  Use the weapon- or "hero" as he had been called- when it is needed, but when it isn't needed lock it up somewhere, so it doesn't break.  

                Now, Harry wasn't just upset that Sirius had died.  He was angry with Dumbledore for hiding important things from him.  And he was angry with Snape, for not continuing the Occlumency lessons properly.  He was angry with Tom Riddle and Peter Pettigrew for existing.  And he was angry with Ron and Hermione too.  He had just gotten a letter from them- they had acted on their feelings for each other.  It wasn't a big thing really; it was just that so much anger was floating through his body that Harry thought that he was going to explode.  

                But most of all Harry was angry with himself.  He had gone snooping around again.  Something that never failed to cause trouble- but this time it had cost something so much more than house points.  Harry had lost the only parent figure he could remember.  

Well, the only one alive.  The last words of his parents didn't count.  They couldn't count- it kept his sanity intact.  They had been real people and their memories didn't deserve to be tarnished in such a way.

                'Other memories', thought Harry grimly, 'deserve to be banished to the back of my memory banks. Back with the memories when I could trust my friends and teachers.'  

With that thought he scowled and shook his head. Looking in the mirror that had been recently attached to the back of his door he didn't recognize himself.  His skin was paler, as he had opted to stay indoors.  Somehow he had managed to grow taller, and he was skinnier- though not as skeletal as Tom Riddle.  He didn't know how it was possible for him to grow- he had opted out of eating most of the time.

But now, was not a time for reflection.  He had things to do, many things to do.  First thing he had to do was write a note to the order.  It was just dawn, it should be in London first thing.  Taking out a quill and a piece of parchment he began to write.

_'Hello,_

_It's Harry.  I'm checking in as usual, a day early, but that's okay.  There is something important that I must see to.  And it's like order business- so I'm not going to tell you what I'm doing or where I'll be.  See how much you like it. I will contact you when I return.  Don't bother trying to find me.  I've brewed myself an anti-tracking potion- NEWT level I believe. _

_Well, I must be off now.  I will try to return shortly.  I probably won't._

_-Harry James Potter._

_P.S.  I got your letter Ron.  I hope you two are happy.  Keep yourselves safe.' _

There, that was a good letter.  He was still upset and murderously angry, but he couldn't have them dying. They were in a particular type of danger that fell upon those who befriended the Boy-Who-Lived. 

Harry walked over to Hedwig, and petted her.  The owl hooted sleepily at him.  "Hedwig, I need this letter delivered to Headquarters.  I'll leave the window open so you can fly in, but you can stay at Headquarters.  I'll probably be in Diagon Alley if you want to go there.  I'll be staying at the Leaky Cauldron if you want to go there.  But you take care, you hear me?"

The owl hooted at Harry in concern. 

"I'm fine Hedwig, just worried."

The white owl hooted at Harry in disbelief, but nipped affectionately at his finger and took off out the window with the letter.

Now it was time to pack a bag.  He couldn't bring too much, he wouldn't be able to bring it with him.  He would need a cloak, to blend in.  As he had grown he would need some more clothes.  But the cloak would do for no.  He'd need his Invisibility cloak, just in case.  He'd also need some money, and he'd need his wand- constant vigilance was a yes.  Just to be safe he took out some parchment, a couple of quills and some ink.  He threw all those into his bag, and slipped out of the room, and down the stairs to the landing.

He then unlocked the door, and he made the walk to Magnolia Crescent.  He thought the wards ended there, as he had summoned the Knight Bus before.  He fished his wand out of his bag and held it out, therefore summoning the bus.

"Hello, and welcome to the knight bus, I'm Bert your conductor for this trip." Said a man, maybe in his late thirties.

"What happened to Stan?"

"He was recruited. Where have you been… uh… what is your name?"

"Uh… I'm James…" seeing the conductor's mistrust, "James Dursley.  I'm new to this area."

"Ok, James.  What was I saying?  Ah, yes, any civilian between the ages of 17 and 30 are allowed to join the reserves.  Young Stan decided to join.  Good boy Stan.  Where are you going?"

"To London.  The Leaky Cauldron to be exact."

"I figured that when you said London," grumbled the conductor, "just because I'm too old for the reserves doesn't mean that I'm daft.  That will be 11 sickles. You can take the bed behind Ernie.  I'll wake you when we get to London, you look like you haven't slept in days."

Harry handed over the previously stated amount of money, and went over to the bed.  He lay down, and soon fell into a light sleep.  He tossed and turned for the entire trip.  When Bert woke him up, he felt worse than he did when he went to sleep.

The sight that greeted him was a sight that filled him heart with happiness.  The Leaky Cauldron was still in business.  Tom was out from behind the counter setting up.  Carrying his bag Harry approached the bar man.  

Tom spoke first. "How goes it stranger?"

"It goes well enough for the time." Came the reply.

A small chuckle. "What is your business here?"

"I need a room.  I have some chores to attend to in the alley."

"How long will you be renting out the room?"

"At least a week."

"You hiding out?"

Harry laughed mirthlessly. "You could say that."

"Lets see your left arm."

"And if I don't show it to you?" challenged our disenchanted youth.

"Then I'll call the aurors."

"Good, good. You know what to do." With that Harry revealed the arm in question.  The skin was bare.

"No offence intended, sir, but these are dark days."

"Dark days indeed."

"Can I have your name sir?  I need it for the registry."

"James Dursley," said Harry with practiced ease.  

"Follow me James, you'll be in room 13."

Tom went behind the counter and found the key to the room and they walked up the stairs in silence.    When they got to the room Tom turned to Harry.  "Is there anything else you'll be needing?" 

"I have two questions."

"All right, I might have your answers."

"When do the stores in the alley open?"

"It really varies from store to store.  But they'll all be open by 10.  That's when the rush comes."

"Is there any way I could get a Dreamless Sleep Potion?"

"Yes, just go to the cupboard in the bathroom, and say 'dreamless sleep potion'.  When you open it you will have your potion, and it will be added to your bill accordingly. Potions don't come so cheap any more.  What have you seen that you need the potion?"

"Too much." 

When Tom opened the door he gasped.  Harry had to slip in.  On the bedpost sat Hedwig.

"There you are girl, you managed to beat me here. Aren't you smart."

Hedwig hooted happily over the fact that her master seemed happier.  

"Where did you get that owl?"

"I raised her from a owlet." lied Harry through his teeth.  "Her parents were killed, so I took her in.  Why do you ask?"

"I thought that there owl belonged to the Potter boy. He has one just like her."

"Isn't that a coincidence?" was directed at Tom. Harry cooed at Hedwig, "Aren't you happy girl?  You could be mistaken as a celebrity."  He looked at Tom.  "Thank you sir, I will speak to you later on."

Harry sighed as Tom left the room- this was going to be harder than he thought.  Hedwig flew back to the bedpost, and Harry put his bag down in front of the bed, and turned to go to the bathroom.  He really needed some dreamless sleep.

Meanwhile, down in the bar Tom thought.  He knew that boy wasn't who he said he was, but he couldn't prove it.  He'd figure it out though.  These were dark times and Tom was a cautious man.


	3. Shopping! Yay!

                The dreamless sleep potion definitely worked.  Somehow the makeup of the potion managed to propel the recipient into a dreamless sleep.  But they would also sleep as long as needed.  Now, Harry (as previously mentioned) had forsaken his sleep.  So he slept a long time.

                It was early the next morning when our young protagonist awoke.  Looking at the clock on the wall he found it was just after seven.  He walked to the bathroom.  And over the next hour he preformed his ablutions.  Finally he emerged from the bathroom dressed, and was tying his hair into a ponytail with a black ribbon. 

                Going to his trunk, he gathered some parchment, a quill, some ink, his wand, and his money sack, and put them all into his school bag.  He was ready to start the day.  Leaving his room, he went down the stairs into the main part of the inn.  Choosing a seat in the far corner of the room where he could observe everything he pulled out some parchment, his quill and ink and started to write a list of all the supplies he would need to buy.  

_'2 sets dress robes_ _5 sets school robes_ _2 sets ordinary wear robes_ _1 school cloak_ _2 normal wear cloaks _ _1 winter cloak (fur lined)_ _New hat_ _Advanced study books_ _Occlumency and legilimency books_ _Potions supplies_ _New trunk_ _New school bag_ _7 pairs muggle pants (1 Kevlar/dragon hide)_ _7 muggle t-shirts_ _1 Kevlar/dragon hide vest_ _2 muggle sweaters_ _7 muggle long sleeved shirts_ _2 muggle jacket (1 Kevlar/dragon hide))_ _3 pairs muggle footwear (Kevlar/dragon hide boots?)_ _1 knife_ _New wand?_ _Entertainment of some sort'_

"Excuse me sir?" interrupted Tom.  "Will you be wanting anything?"

Harry looked startled for a moment.  "Could I have some coffee, and some toast please?"

"Of course.  Will you want that added to your bill, or will you be paying upfront?"

"Add that to my bill please."  

Tom turned and left, and an owl flew into the Leaky Cauldron.  He had never seen the owl before, and

was needless to say very surprised when the owl landed in front of him.  The front said "Urgent news-Gringotts".  He opened the envelope and inside there were two messages.  He opened the one on top first.

_'Mr. Potter,_

_we at Gringotts have been holding something for you since the year 1980.  We were instructed to give it to you approximately a fortnight before your sixteenth birthday if your parents did in fact perish in You-Know_

_-Who's  Reign of Terror.  The information you need have been enclosed in a letter written by the late Lily Potter.  _

_Sincerely, _

_Gringotts Wizarding Bank.'_

"Well, that was interesting," remarked Harry to himself before opening the letter his mother had written him so many years ago.

_'My dearest baby boy,                                                                                                             August 1, 1980_

_if you are reading this then I am afraid that your father and I are no longer with you.  I am writing to tell you how much we love you, and to tell you we hope you have had a happy childhood._

_If what we fear most has happened, and you are placed with Petunia and Vernon, we sincerely hope that you can one day forgive us.  Don't judge Petunia too harshly, she hasn't always been this way. _

_I wish with all my heart that we could have  been alive to see your first Quidditch game, and to see you get your first wand, and to see you graduate, and marry.  But that will never happen.  I know there is so much that we don't know each other, and I'm sure you will want to know.  In your vault I have left picture albums and diaries that you can read if you wish._

_I love you horribly.  You have only been alive for less than a day but already you have brought completeness to my and your father's lives.  We haven't left you for a minute, and your blue eyes are already looking up at us with recognition. _

_In this time of horror, you are a light, beckoning at us.  And we know that it is for you that we must fight this monstrosity.  It has been going on for 5 years already, and it doesn't seem to be abating. But it will be over sometime._

_To insure your future, your father and I have both taken out million galleon  life insurance policies.  This will be added to your savings vault, which already contains 1 million galleons, on the occasion of our deaths.  _

_Now I must tell you the purpose of this letter.  Your father and I have a vault.  We're not certain about how much is in this vault in money terms.  But starting on your sixteenth birthday 1 million galleons will be transferred to your account on the last day of each month.  This will continue on, until you are 1 year out of Hogwarts.  Any of the money left over will be transferred into your account on your 20th birthday. If we were to die now, you would be worth approximately 40 000 000 galleons._

_The Potters are one of the richest families in the wizarding world.  We beat out the Malfoys, and any other of the other families on this side of the world.  Use this money wisely, for if it is gone, there will be none left.  _

_I have to stop writing now dearest.  You are hungry and we are both tired.  I know now, as I have known for the past 9 months that I would give my life to save yours. _

_Lovingly yours,_

_Lily Potter.'_

Harry did all he could do to stop himself from crying.  In an odd way his heart felt that it was being mended and ripped apart at the very same time.  

He then did what he knew he should do, to preserve his safety, he put both letters in the bag, and tucked his list in too.  And at that very moment Tom came over to the table and placed both the toast and the coffee down.  And he left with an "Enjoy your breakfast Mr. Dursley."

It took only minutes for Harry to finish his small breakfast.  He was soon into the back alley and with a tap of the bricks he entered Diagon Alley.  It was only 10:00, and yet the place was already packed full of the interesting sorts that frequented the area.  People were in stores haggling with the shop keepers over the prices of things.  At times like these, as long as no body recognized him he felt truly at home.  The first place to go would have to be Gringotts.  

He entered the bank, and half an hour later he came out with a full 2000 galleons more.  He wasn't sure how much he would need.  But, if he had taken too much he could always return it, and if he had taken too little he could always take more.  After all, he did have at least a week in the alley.  

The first place that Harry went was Madam Malkin's.  He went in, and through the help of one of the clerks, all his stuff was chosen.  His school robes were slightly fancier than that of the average student, but they fit him well.  His school cloak was nice, but with platinum  clasps instead of silver.  It was more lycanthrope friendly, and you could only tell if you were looking closely.  

His dress robes were similar in style to that of his school robes.  One pair, matched his eyes.  You couldn't go wrong there.  And the second pair was black, but with silver- coloured thread holding the robes together.  

His normal wear robes Harry particularly liked .  One pair was a royal blue, the other pair was grey.  It wasn't the colours Harry particularly liked, it wasn't the design either.  It was just the fact that they were extremely comfortable.    The normal wear cloaks were in those colours as well.  So Harry wouldn't have any trouble co-ordinating colours. 

But the best of Harry's purchases at Madame Malkin's was the winter cloak.  This cloak would be good for just going outside for a walk in the winter, as well as extremely cold temperatures.  The cloak itself was made of blood red material.  But the inside was lined in fur.  Harry wasn't quite sure what type of fur was on the inside, but it was warm and it would do.

Harry also picked up a new hat.  It was a nice hat.

For the potions' supplies, Harry had to go to the apothecary, Snape being the sub-par teacher that he was, didn't tell anyone what the proper ingredients for anything were until they ended up making the potion or got fed up and looked it up.

This was a disadvantage.  Especially for Harry's wallet, like Tom had said.  Potions weren't so cheap anymore.  

And at random stores through out the alley Harry picked up his trunk.  Made of mahogany wood, the metal was platinum.  And the inside was lined with black silk.  There were two compartments.  One was for storing clothes, and another for his books and other stuff.  

Flourish and Blotts was another quick stop.  He grabbed a book on Advanced Potions, a copy of Moste Potent Potions, Advanced Transfiguration, Advanced Charms, Advanced Herbology, Occlumency and Legilimency for Beginners.  

This trip cost a lot.  By the time he was done with his shopping in the alley he had spent upwards of 500 galleons.  Now it was time for him to bring his stuff to his room and convert some money into muggle money.  

In almost no time Harry had dumped his stuff in his room, and had traded in the rest of his money for muggle money.  In Harry's experience, muggles were expensive things.  

Muggle London was very opulent.  He was walking down Charing Cross Road when he noticed something out of the ordinary.  It was a small store tucked at the far end of the road.  The sign above the door read _Velvet Dreams and Liquid Skin.  _It seemed a good enough store to shop in.  Harry however had never been shopping on his own.  Little did our protagonist know that he was way over his head.

As he walked into the store, he noticed that it was empty, save for one person sitting behind the counter.  The shopkeeper was of the female gender.  Her red hair sparkled in the little light of the store.  She seemed to be as pale,  if not more, than Harry, and she was dressed from head to toe in black.  She wore baggy pants, and a tight shirt that showed off her navel piercing.  

"Can I help you?" she asked in a soft voice.

"Yeah, umm, I'm looking for some clothes." was the 'eloquent' response.

"Well then.  I guess you came to the right store.  We seem to sell clothes here."  she responded. "I'm Sheilagh. Do you need any help here today?"

"Uh… yeah.  You see I've never been shopping before.  I've only ever owned hand me downs. I'm Harry by the way."

"Okay, where should we start?"  

"Well, I pretty much need 7 of everything.  Pants maybe."

"Well, the pants are over here." said Sheilagh leading Harry over to the pants.  The first pair she pulled out Harry really liked.  They were baggy black denim with a  red spider on the front of the right leg, and webs on the back of the right and the front and back of the left leg.  The next three pairs of pants she pulled out were baggy black cargos.  One pair were tight with what appeared to be suspenders hanging down at the legs.  Harry could have sworn that she called those 'bondage pants'.  Another pair were black and fitted with red stitching.  Et la piece de resistance.  The last pair of pants were leather.  Not skin tight, but relatively tight around the hips and butt area.  Just like any good leather pants should be.  All the pants were black.  They all fit.  He bought them all.

He bought seven t-shirts with funny sayings on them.  One of the funnier sayings was "the robots made me do it".  Harry wasn't quite sure was a robot was, but he had a faint idea.  The long sleeved shirts were all pretty much the same.  Except for one.  It was black with loose sleeves that went ¾ down his arms.  "Chasing Pirate Booty" this shirt proclaimed.  

At this store he bought only one coat.  The coat was long, and black.  It covered his entire torso, and went down to his ankles.  All and all he was pleased with the day.  Just as he was leaving the store he bumped into someone he never thought he would see- "Ginny?"

A.N:  Sorry for not updating in such a long time.  I really don't have an excuse, so I won't make one.  This chapter was really just about the hat.  (It's page 3 here, so it will be near the end).  

          Well, enjoy. 

Ta.

Eireann

Next chapter: Kevlar.  And Dragon Hide.  YAY!  


	4. Ginevra

"Ginny?" he repeated. "Is that you? What are you doing here?"  
  
But before he could continue she had her wand out, aimed at his chest, and in her other hand she held a knife.   
  
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice low. "And how do you know that name?"  
  
"It's me Ginny." He responded. "Don't you know me?"  
  
"No. "  
  
He sighed, he really didn't want to have to do this. Lifting up his bangs he said. "Is this enough ID for you?"  
  
"Harry? Is that really you?"  
  
"Yes Ginny. It's me."   
  
"Where have you been? They've been worried sick back at HQ."  
  
"And you?"  
  
"I knew you'd be alright. Knew you'd still be in the country."  
  
"Really?" he inquired slyly.  
  
She smiled, vaguely aware they were flirting. "Oh yes."  
  
Well then. Things were going better than Harry thought they would be. Now, he had to check upon the idea that had popped into his head.  
  
"Say Ginny, what are you doing here?"  
  
"They were pissing me off. Thought you'd fled the country."  
  
"I see. And Lupin?"  
  
"He's managing. Bit upset though. Obviously, just lost his last real companion. By the way, I have that letter you wrote."  
  
"Really? How did they react?"  
  
"Ron and Hermione went absolutely hysterical. Mum was frantic. Lupin looked as if he expected. Muttered you were absolutely like your mom.  
  
Apparently she got pissed at your dad one day, and left for Hogwarts. Left a note."  
  
Harry was touched. "Oh?"  
  
"Yes, but Snape was the best of all you know. He went ballistic. You're not supposed to be able to brew that potion you know, its NEWT level."  
  
"Ah yes, but I could get some for you, for a price."  
  
"Really? Name that price." She challenged.  
  
"Let me buy you some stuff."  
  
Her eyes narrowed. "Why? Ashamed of me looking like this."  
  
"No, I just thought you'd want some stuff or something. And my inheritance just came into play. I have so much, and no one to spend it on."  
  
"Oh. I'm sorry Harry, I didn't mean it. I just get defensive sometimes. You know, with Malfoy and all."  
  
"I understand. Malfoy's just as bad as Dudley, 'cept I don't have to wear his old clothes."  
  
"Are you lonely Harry Potter?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Lonely." she responded. "You know, a feeling of loneliness so deep, that they're nothing that can make it any better."  
  
"Yes. Incredibly lonely."   
  
"I understand."  
  
"Is everything alright Ginny?"  
  
She looked him in the eye. "No, but nothing worse than what you're dealing with."  
  
"I think it is Ginny. You know what I think? I think you're incredibly lonely. Even when you're surrounded by your entire family you are so alone. You're not like them Ginny, but that doesn't make you any less special. You are incredibly special."  
  
"No I'm not. I'm just Ginny."  
  
"You'll never be just Ginny to me. I know that I never really got to know you, and I'm ashamed of that. But now that I'm starting to know you, I can tell you now that you are destined for something great. And I'll be watching, no matter where you are."  
  
"Thank you Harry." A lone tear snaked its way down her white cheek.  
  
"Now what are we waiting for. I know just the thing that will make you feel better. Let's buy you a whole new wardrobe. Make up for all those years that I didn't get you presents. We can start here."  
  
So both of them went back into the store. When they exited, Ginny had gotten herself six skirts, they were all black, a bottom layer of a material, and an upper layer of the same material in something Sheilagh called a "flounce hem", and a satin ribbon around the waist band. She also got a pair of the same   
  
spider-webbed pants that Harry had picked out. Her 7 winter shirts were all black, and all the same. But her summer shirts. Now, those were something to see. One of them was red and black with buckles, making it a sort of corset. One of them hooked up at front, and was actually corset top. She got a couple of pretty skimpy  
  
tank tops, a black tube top, and her last two tops were plain tee shirts that said "Where's My Coffee?" Ginny, Harry found out, really liked coffee.  
  
Like Harry, she got a long coat that went down to her ankles, and there were 3 buckles that wrapped around her abdomen, making for a corset-like look. She in all entirety was rather happy with her new wardrobe. But she was a bit worried when Harry told her that she wasn't done.   
  
"Look Harry, you don't have to do this. I'm sure you're going broke," she pleaded with him.  
  
"Going broke Ginevra? Do you know how much the Potter vaults are **actually** worth?"  
  
They looked at each other. "No." She finally admitted.   
  
Harry riffled through his bag, and took out the letter. Ginny noticed curly feminine writing. "With my full inheritance I'm worth about 40 000 000 galleons. There's about 3 000 000 galleons in my savings account at the moment."  
  
Ginny was awed. And suddenly she didn't feel so bad about him buying her clothes.   
  
She was suddenly snapped out of her reverie by Harry waving his hand in front of her face.  
  
"Where to now Harry?"   
  
"Well, we should go back to the Leaky Cauldron now, to drop your stuff back off. I told Tom that my name was James Dursley. That's what it says on the register. Your mom has done the shopping the past few years, so come up with an alias, but I am James Dursley."  
  
"Sure thing- James."  
  
Back at the Leaky Cauldron, they were met with a suspicious Tom. "Hello James."  
  
"Hi Tom."  
  
"Who do you have with you?"   
  
Ginny stepped forwards. "My name is Andrea Smith. I'm a friend of James'"  
  
" Show me your left forearm."  
  
Ginny looked shocked. "Do you think me a Death Eater?"  
  
"You can never be too careful these days. So show me your arm, or I'll call the aurors."  
  
She looked at Harry. "Show him your arm Andrea."  
  
Grudgingly she lifted her sleeve and showed him her arm.   
  
"Sorry miss. Dark days. Will you be needing a room?"  
  
"No Tom, she'll be staying with me. I trust there will be a cot of sorts in the closet?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Thank you Tom."  
  
"Of course Mr. Dursley."  
  
Harry managed to carry all his and Ginny's stuff up the stairs to room 13. He put the bags on the bed, right beside his bags from Madame Malkins.   
  
"Boy Harry, you sure have done a lot of shopping today. You sure you want to be doing this?"  
  
"Is it making you feel special Virginia?"   
  
"Well yeah," she said "I've never been out and had someone buy me everything I want. What are we going to do now?"  
  
"You haven't finished getting your new clothes. You still need wizarding clothes, I need to go to Ollivanders, and there are some things we both have to pick up."  
  
"Ollivanders? What for?"  
  
"I need to talk to the old man."  
  
"Is he horribly old?"  
  
"Haven't you seen him?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why ever not?"   
  
Ginny squirmed around in her seat. "Didn't you know?" she inquired.  
  
"That you didn't have your own wand? Of course not. I never thought about it I suppose. Never really was much to think about. Ron got Charlie's old wand, but I figured they got you your own the year Sirius escaped from Azkaban."  
  
"There was only enough for one person to get a new wand. And since Ron's was broken, I stuck with Bill's old wand."  
  
"Well, I'll have to take you to Ollivanders. But first, we've got a busy day tomorrow, we have to wake up early to get some stuff in the muggle world."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Do you know what a gun is?"  
  
"It's a metal wand muggles use to kill each other with."  
  
"Right and wrong. It is made out of metal, and muggles use them to kill each other with, but it doesn't use anything spectacular. There are these little metal balls that come out of the gun, those do the actual killing. Each type of gun hold a certain amount of bullets (the little metal balls). But the muggles have made certain materials to stop the bullets. It is heavy, but its thin. They call it Kevlar, it's the muggle equivalent of dragon hide. I've found someone to supply us with the kevlar, and I told him I might bring a friend. Trying to foresee any big things that could happen."  
  
"Oh." Ginny said in a confused type of way. "Will the stuff reflect spells?"  
  
"No, but that's the other thing we need to pick up- dragon hide. I'll buy us both a pair of pants, vests, and jackets of both materials, and I'll buy us both dragon hide boots."  
  
"But why do we need the Kevlar? The Death Eaters won't use guns."  
  
"They won't, but we will."  
  
"Us? You mean the order?" asked Ginny.  
  
"No," replied Harry, "us and the order. They won't be too keen on trusting us, now that we've run away. But we'll find away around it. I don't imagine that wizards and witches will be able to use guns very well. The Kevlar will be a good precaution."  
  
"They won't trust us anymore once we get back. I heard Snape muttering about how he knew you couldn't be trusted, and that your running away proved that fact. And my parents sat me, Ron, Hermione, Luna, and Neville down, they're staying at HQ, and told us the importance of staying put, and running away would make it look like you had something to hide."  
  
"I take it Hermione caught on rather quickly?"  
  
"Yeah, but Ron didn't. They were sitting in the living room later, and I saw her explaining it to him. I was on my way out, but he didn't seem to get it, and that didn't seem like the first time that she was explaining the idea to him."   
  
"He's my friend, but he's kind of dense."  
  
"Yeah, you can say that again. Now, where's the cot?"  
  
"Oh no, not the cot. You'll sleep on the bed. I'll take the cot."  
  
Harry and Ginny pulled the cot out of the closet. After setting it up (it looked small, but Harry was sure it would be very soft) Harry walked into the bathroom and spoke to the cupboard. "Dreamless sleep potion." When he opened the cupboard there were two potions. But then he heard another voice from the room "Harry, can you get me a dreamless sleep potion too?"  
  
Leaving the bathroom he tossed Ginny a bottle. "The cupboard regurgitated two today, before you asked for one."  
  
"Odd."   
  
Morning was to come soon. But when they awoke, Harry and Ginny were in for a surprise. They were both in the same bed. "Harry? What are you doing up here?"  
  
Harry, having just woken up and being very disoriented was a bit confused. "Up where? Where am I?"  
  
"Harry, you're in my bed." Responded Ginny as if she was talking to a four year old.   
  
"Ugh. Don't know how I got up here. You saw me go to sleep on the cot." With that he pointed to where the cot used to be.  
  
"Harry, there's nothing there."  
  
"Isn't there?" Harry asked thickly.  
  
"Yes Harry, the cot isn't there."  
  
"We'll talk to Tom later, okay?"  
  
"Sure. First dibs on the shower!" Ginny yelled as she sprinted to the bathroom.  
  
"Hey! No fair!" Harry yelled after her, but just lay back down of the bed. This was really weird. He had set out the cot, and he had fallen asleep on the cot. But had woken up on the bed. His train of thought ended when Ginny exited the bathroom. "All yours Harry."  
  
Harry took a quick shower, and dressed in a pair of pants and a shirt. Ginny had dressed in a top, and in a skirt. Closing the door behind them they exited the pub and soon were on the streets of London.   
  
"Where are we meeting this guy?"  
  
"Some where soon. There's a big building, said that there would be a rose or something on the side door. If we knock on that door twice, someone will open it."  
  
"Hey, that door has a rose on it!" They both looked to where Ginny had pointed, there was indeed a rose on the side door of the building. Harry went up to the door and knocked.  
  
"Password?" asked a quiet voice from inside.  
  
"Voldemort's bane."  
  
"Enter."  
  
They both walked into the building. In a small room just inside the entrance there sat a man.   
  
"Hello Harry Potter," he smirked "or should I say James Dursley. And the exquisite Andrea Smith. Or the rogue Weasley. You two are well know here."  
  
"We had a deal. I need the stuff."   
  
"Ah yes." He snapped and two anonymous henchmen walked out. Each carried a Kevlar jacket, a Kevlar vest, and a pair of pants. "An odd request, coming from The Boy Who Lived. We never would have thought that you'd stray far from Dumbledore. Especially in these times..."   
  
"Things change, and people change." responded Harry through gritted teeth.  
  
"Yes, they do. Now, I want you two to meet someone tomorrow night. A very interesting someone."  
  
"Where should we meet this someone?" asked Ginny. Sensing that Harry was at the breaking point.   
  
"In the back room of the Leaky Cauldron. Tom will know this man, and won't be worried when you ask for silencing charms. He has been instructed to explain some business that I need taken care of. Since I am banned from that _fine establishment_, and since I am a very busy man I will not be attending. Now go, I am busy."   
  
Harry and Ginny turned and walked away. "Mr. Potter, Ms. Weasley. Vampires don't just walk at night. They often come out at day." Harry and Ginny exchanged looks, and continued walking until they reached outside. Carrying the bags of their stuff they walked back to Charring Cross road, and then to their room in the Leaky Cauldron.   
  
As they walked down Diagon Alley Ginny asked the inevitable question. "What did he mean by 'Vampires don't just walk at night'? Was it a warning?"  
  
"Quite possibly. For as long as I've known the man he's always been quite strange. I don't know how he knew who I was though. I never signed the letters."  
  
"Maybe he has spies. That's mostly how Dumbledore manages to know everything."  
  
"That and the fact that he's an occlumens."  
  
"Would make sense that. Now, where are we going?"   
  
"Ollivanders."   
  
"I don't have any money."  
  
"That doesn't matter. I'm buying you a wand."  
  
They entered the store together. Mr. Ollivander was waiting in front of the counter.   
  
"I've been expecting you two. Miss Weasley, it is indeed time for you to get a wand of your own. William's has been working fine. But you are growing now. Which is your wand hand?"  
  
"Right hand sir." And not once did she blink as the magic tape measure measured her arm from the elbow down, from the shoulder to the elbow, and the entire arm. As well as the distance around her head, and even oddly enough the length between her eyes.  
  
The ancient man walked towards the shelf and picked up a box from the shelf. "Twelve and a half inches, made of yew. With a phoenix feather."  
  
Ginny picked up the wand and with a swish the scent of flowers filled the store, looking down a layer of lilies covered the floor.   
  
"Oh, very interesting! I do believe that this is the first time that I have ever picked out the right wand on the first try."  
  
"How much for the wand Mr. Ollivander?" asked Harry.   
  
"Four Galleons, please. A discount is in order I believe Mr. Potter."   
  
Harry handed over the money, and Ginny took the box with the wand and they quickly exited the store. Ginny had been oddly quiet since Ollivander gave her the wand. Harry looked at Ginny worriedly.   
  
"Maybe we should get some ice cream?"  
  
"That would be nice Harry." Ginny took a seat at a table outside the shop, and Harry walked in a got them each a sundae. He hoped this would cheer Ginny up. Getting back to the table Harry placed a sundae in front of Ginny and placed one where he sat.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
Harry looked up from his sundae. "Yes Ginny?"  
  
"Do you mind if we don't mention the cot? We could share the bed. It's big enough."  
  
"Are you okay Ginny? What's wrong?"  
  
"Tom's wand was made of yew."   
  
That sentence alone was enough to make Harry stop what he was doing.   
  
"You're not Tom, Ginny."  
  
"I try to tell myself that, but then something like this comes up and I doubt myself again."  
  
"It's okay. I can understand that. And if that's what you want, I won't mention the cot."  
  
"Thank you Harry. I get horribly lonely at night."  
  
"It's okay. Now, finish up your sundae. We need to get the rest of your wardrobe, and Dragon hide. I also need a knife. We'll probably get the guns at our meeting tomorrow night.  
  
They finished up their sundaes and quickly picked up the rest of the Ginny's wardrobe, and ran to the combat supplies store to get the dragon hide.   
  
This wasn't the flimsy dragon hide that the twins had been wearing since they escaped Hogwarts last year, but the real stuff that wizarding warriors had been wearing for centuries. Like everyone knew, Dragon hide was very repellant, and it took several freezing spells to knock out a full grown dragon.  
  
In a shady shop, towards the end of the Alley, Harry found his dagger. It was rather thin, but the shop owner had assured Harry that it was nearly unbreakable. The dagger was made of folded steel, like a sword, and was about the same length as the one Ginny had pulled on him when he first saw her in muggle London. The hilt was rather elaborate. There was a story on it, Harry wasn't sure what it was about, but it looked like a vampire conquest story. The main reason Harry bought the dagger was on the pommel. Tiny flowing script spelled the name Potter. He wondered which of his ancestors had owned this particular knife.   
  
It had taken awhile for Harry to find a knife that he could feel good about using. A whole wall of the store was dedicated to 'werewolf knives'. These were the knives that werewolf hunters used, since they were made of pure silver. That fact alone had been almost enough to make Harry leave the shop.   
  
For the rest of the day Harry and Ginny lounged about in their room. Around nine they ordered a supper to be brought up to them. And finally at eleven they went to bed. Oddly enough the cupboard gave 2 potions instead of the one it had done before Ginny had arrived. But once again, since that was what they wanted they didn't press the issue, or mention it to the inn keeper.   
  
Harry and Ginny managed to sleep in the next morning. Over a light breakfast of coffee and toast Harry told Ginny something that he had been worrying about. "I've taken the potion the past 3 nights in a row. I can't take one tonight, so I understand if you want to get a separate room tonight."  
  
" I can't take it either. I took one from Snape the day before I left, so I can't take one today either. If we stick by each other it should be fine. People always helped my nightmares when I was younger."  
  
"If you don't mind me asking, what do you dream about?"  
  
"About Tom. I didn't have them in 2nd year, or 3rd, not until the end. Since then I've tried to take a potion every three nights.   
  
"I'm sorry," began Harry "If you hadn't known me then this would have never happened."  
  
"Don't be silly. If it wasn't me, then it would have been someone else. And you'd still feel bad about it. If you hadn't known me, you wouldn't have nearly died that day. So I think its even."  
  
They looked at each other. When Harry went up to pay for breakfast he stopped to talk to Tom. "Andrea and I will need to rent the backroom tonight. We need to talk about business with someone."  
  
Toms eyes narrowed. "Who is this someone?"  
  
Harry shrugged. "I honestly don't know. But I've been told you know him."  
  
"Very well Mr. Dursley. At what time?"   
  
"Seven until midnight. I'm afraid I don't know exactly when. We'll also need some silencing charms."  
  
"Is this to go on the tab?"  
  
Ginny came up behind Harry as he was thinking. "Yes, it is."   
  
"Now... James." She said addressing Harry. "What are we going to do today? I was thinking that we could explore muggle London for a bit."  
  
"Sure. We need some music."  
  
"Tonks showed me some music last year that I think you'd like. She's into music."  
  
"What bands? I might have heard of some."  
  
"Uh, The Cure, Joy Division, The Smiths, Alice in Chains. Those are the ones she showed me. They're one these things called CDS. They go into some weird machines. I heard Dudley and some of his friends listening to Alice in Chains once. I was locked in the cupboard and Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon weren't home."  
  
"They locked you in a cupboard?"   
  
"That was my room until I got the Hogwarts letter. In a panic they moved me into Dudley's second bed room. He threw a fit."  
  
It took awhile for Ginny and Harry to actually find a music store. And even longer for them to decide which ones to buy. It turned out, unbeknownst to Harry and Ginny that there were several CDs by these groups. In the end they just decided to buy one of each , and a portable CD player for each. They'd go to Flourish and Blotts to find a book on enchanting muggle electronics for Hogwarts.   
  
"According to Hermione these things don't work at Hogwarts. Too much magic or something."  
  
"It would make sense Harry. Hogwarts has been around so long that the magic has seeped into the land. In essence the part of Scotland that Hogwarts covers is magical."  
  
"I didn't know that." And he looked down at his watch. "Ginny, we gotta go back, it's almost time for the meeting. We've just enough time to get back." So Harry paid for the music and the playing devices and they ran out the door. And down the street, and down the next, and down even the next, then finally they were at the Leaky Cauldron. Tom stopped them.  
  
"He's in the back room, just got in."   
  
"Thanks." Said Harry and he shoved a couple of galleons into Tom's hand.   
  
They walked into the back room and were confronted by an empty room. Then the door closed and there was only black. When they came to they were tied to chairs. In front of them sat a man, he was tall with black hair and extremely skin.  
  
'You're a vampire." exclaimed Ginny.  
  
"Correct Ms. Weasley," then he waved his wand, "and now you can't speak. Nor you Mr. Potter."  
  
He looked at them struggling beneath the ropes and laughed. "Ah yes. Ever since I heard of you Mr. Potter I knew I would be the one to change you. Said to myself I did, that there's an extremely tasty looking neck. And I said, once again that perhaps it wouldn't be too bad to nibble on that. Oh yes. When the master showed us his plans I volunteered right away, knowing what I did, and no one but me knowing!" the vampire let out a laugh. "Ah yes. And then when it was revealed that you had a pretty companion, I was delighted. Two necks for the price of one. And all I have to do is give you some bloodsy." Maniacal laughter followed that statement.   
  
"My sire was a Potter. She sired the woman who sired the man who sired me. Could say that she was my great-grandmother. Oh, she'd be so proud of me right now. Unfortunately she was killed. Master saw necessary to that. Wise man the master. He's been alive for millennia, no one knows how he does it. Rumors is he hasn't been outside for the past thousand years. Has spies all over the place. When he heard of you Mr. Potter, he decided that you'd be the one he'd help. You'll not be in charge of him, oh no. No one's in charge of the master. But he'd lend his services to you. For one price. I'm to bleed you a bit, take some of the blood. And change you. And that goes for your pretty little companion too. Oh yes master's been waiting for years to get his hands on Weasley blood. Pure that is. Now onto business. I need blood, you need to pay. This won't hurt a bit, or maybe it will. It's been so long now..."   
  
With that he untied Harry and plunged his fangs into his neck. Almost at the point of death he threw Harry to the ground, and Harry noticed foggily that he was putting the stopper on something. With a sharp nail he cut a small hole in his wrist and put it to his face. "Drink now, or master will be mighty displeased." And Harry drank the sweet life giving elixir. And drank until the man threw him to the ground.   
  
Then the pain came, pain so sharp and hot that it made to Cruciatus feel like a paper cut. He writhed and he writhed not noticing the man throw Ginny to the floor. Not noticing her writhing until the convulsions stopped and he sat up. Crawling over he stroked her hair and hushed until she stopped.  
  
"Now for your re-education. Master said to make sure to tell you this. Only fire can kill you, and lots of fire. Fire so hot that it only comes from the bowels of hell. They must make sure to hold you in the fire for days before anything happens. The sunlight won't hurt you. No, not since the master says it won't. Wise man the master. You can go out any time of day. You need not hunt from humans. In the Potter vaults there are two cups. They will supply you with blood. Good sweet life-giving blood. You need only drink once a day. And if drinking from a human you need not kill them, but its best if you do. Ta-ta kiddies. Got to get the bloodsy to the master." And with that the man was gone, leaving the two newest vampires to stew in their thoughts.  
  
A.N: Chapter's over now. Incase you haven't noticed the master the vampire is talking about isn't Voldemort. He's an immortal of sorts. And the Vampire is totally crazy, he's incredibly old. His great-grandmother sire lady was a Potter. More into that later though. I promised Kevlar and you got Kevlar. How do you like the plot twist? Also, apparently J.K Rowling said that Ginny's real name is Ginevra, so that's what it will be in this story. 


	5. Sanctuary

They walked through the hallowed halls of the castle. A hooded couple walked, behind a man with surprisingly greasy hair, and a rather large hooked-nose. The man threw open the doors to an impressive looking hall, and before he could say something a soft voice spoke out.

_"Sanctuary." _

A gasp came from a woman somewhere inside of the room. And an ancient man spoke to the two cloaked figures.

_"Why asketh you for sanctuary?"_

The soft voice spoke once again as a reply to the man.

_"To shield us from our foes."_

And once again the sage voice spoke out.

_"Do you come bearing harm?"_

Two voices replied now, in lieu of just the one.

_"We come bearing no harm."_

And once more the old voice spoke out.

_"I promise to honour the age old ritual of sanctuary."_

Two voices responded in unison.

_"As do we."_

A jolly laugh came from inside the room. It was the old man who had spoken before. "Now that that's out of the way… Would you like to sit down to eat?

"No thank you headmaster," said a soft feminine voice, "We've just flown a long way and are in need of a rest."

"Well then, Severus will show you to your room. I'm afraid that we only have one room dedicated to this purpose. I assume this will be alright?"

"Of course it will headmaster. Thank you."

They walked through the corridors in silence until they got to a non-descript door near the dungeons.

The hook-nose man turned to them and hissed. "Look, I don't know who you are, or why you are here. But I don't trust you, rest assured that I will be watching you. You will slip up sooner or later, and I will find out who you are."

A soft yet deadly voice spoke. "And rest assured _Severus_ that we will be watching you, and when you slip up, we will be sure to reveal what you are to the world."

"You will address me as Professor Snape while under this roof."

"Well then Professor, watch your step." Hissed the voice.

"I will not be threatened, especially not from the likes of you." Said the man, with one of his patented glares.

"I don't make threats- I make promises." Was the response.

The man was just to about to retort with a scathing comment when another man walked addressed him. This man was quiet, and seemed to have a melancholy disposition. "Severus, it is time." He said quietly. And it became apparent that he didn't like this man at all.

"Lupin! Can't you see that I'm busy right now?!?"

"The headmaster sent me to get you Severus. He wishes that you are there when it starts."

By comparison Professor Snape seemed to be a raging volcano.

"And I suppose you had nothing to do with it. Is it perhaps that you're lonely Lupin? Lonely without your little mutt to keep you company?"

The two men were so busy with their conversation that they didn't notice that one of the cloaked figures being held back forcibly at this last comment.

The man addressed as Lupin sighed. "I apologize Severus."

A response was hissed back. "It's too late for apologies now Lupin. Now get out of my way. The headmaster has requested my presence."

With that the greasy-haired man turned and walked back down the corridor. The quiet man watched him go. And when Snape was out of sight Lupin turned back to the pair.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. Severus is- well, he's always been like that."

The feminine voice responded. "It's alright Mr. –Lupin, is that right?"

The man looked at the ground. "Yes. That's right. Say, I have something to ask you, but I'm behind schedule. You don't mind if I come back later do you?"

"Of course not." Responded the second of the two. With that he turned around and walked into the room.

This left the second voice of the two to respond. "I'm sorry about my friend, James, he's having a hard time of things. I'm Andrea."

"Nice to meet you Andrea. You may call me Remus."

"Oh I couldn't do that Mr. Lupin. I'll see you later." And with that she entered the room as well.

Remus stood outside the room for a few minutes looking down at the ground. With a sigh he left.

_Could it possibly just be a coincidence that this boy, this James, just sounded like Lily when she was angry?_

Inside the room the atmosphere was tense. Ginny sat down beside Harry and gave him a short hug. "Calm down Harry. You know Snape was just trying to get at Lupin. You shouldn't let it get to you."

"You try being calm when that man insults your parents and yourself at every time possible. And then he insults your dead godfather. He's not here to defend himself anymore!" With that the anger just kind of wore off and Harry just sat there staring into space.

After about five minutes Harry was still staring into space, and Ginny was getting a bit worried. "Harry," she inquired timidly, "Are you alright?"

He spoke weakly, "I'm just so angry Ginny, it swells inside of me at the most inopportune of moments and I just want to hurt something. And when the emotion is gone I just feel worn out and sick. I don't know what's wrong with me Ginny. I think I'm going crazy."

"It's okay to cry Harry." Advised Ginny.

"No Ginny, it's not okay to cry. I can't be weak, I have to be strong. Strong for the world, the world that I have to save. The world that has been forced onto my shoulders. The world I don't want!"

"You might not want the world Harry, but it wants you. Think of all the children that will get to grow up with their own parents, because you do what you're destined to do. You may not want to do it. But that's life. We all have to do things we don't want to."

"I didn't chose to be Harry Potter." Harry began vehemently. But Ginny soon cut him off.

"And I didn't chose to be Ginny Weasley." Ginny yelled.

"I never wanted to be any one special."

"And I never wanted to be Ron's little sister."

Red patches of anger appeared on Harry's cheeks. "I never asked to be attacked by Voldemort!"

Ginny laughed at him and hissed out a final response. "And I never asked to be taken into the Chamber."

They both looked at each other and sat back on the bed. After a few moments it became obvious that neither was going to apologize. When things started to get awkward like this they would bring up sustenance.

"When was the last time you fed Harry? Before we left?"

"That sounds about right. When was the last time you fed? Before we left?"

"I think so."

A few minutes later Ginny returned with two goblets, full to the rim with a deep crimson liquid. She looked excited. "Can't you smell it Harry? It smells wonderful doesn't it?" She handed Harry one of the goblets.

Harry smelled the contents of the goblet, and after a few seconds took a taste. With the niceties out of the way Harry quickly drank the contents of the elaborate cup and placed it down beside him. He watched Ginny while she slowly finished the contents of her goblet.

He was just noticing the flush on her pale cheeks when there came a knock at the door. Harry stood up, and hurried to the other side of the room. He opened the door and there stood Remus Lupin. He was quickly beckoned into the small chamber and given the only chair.

Harry sat down on the bed and looked at him. Ginny sat beside Harry and they both looked at Remus.

Remus was the first to actually speak. "I'm going to lift my wand and cast a silencing charm on the room. I will not hurt you."

With the charm spoken Remus soon took over the conversation. "Now, thing is going to take awhile. And none of us are going to like the outcome. So I suggest you get over it now. Both of you."

He turned to Ginny. "I'll start with you Ginevra. Your parents are both very upset with you, and are definitely going to be a lot more upset with you when they see you. Where did you get the money for those clothes? And what did you do to your hair?"

Harry opened his mouth to speak. "No Harry," said the older man, cutting him off. "I'm speaking to Ginevra at the moment.

"Harry bought them for me." Answered Ginny very softly. "But I did nothing to my hair. The hair was none of my doing."

The werewolf was silent at this admission. He pursed his lips and looked at Harry angrily.

"As for you Harry James Potter. I don't know why you left, and I don't want to know why. You're like your mother, I'm sure your reasons made sense enough to you."

"Don't speak to me about my mother Mr. Lupin. I never knew her, so I don't know whether to believe you or not."

"Do you think I'd lie to you about something this important Harry? Would I lie to you about your mother? One of my best friends?"

"I don't know." Admitted Harry. "But seeing as I don't know you either I couldn't be the one to answer that."

The adult looked away stung. "There's a time and a place for this Harry and it isn't here." Remus said his volume rising. "I don't want to know why you left, I told you that. I'm trying to instil upon you the seriousness of your actions. What if you had been caught?"

"I told you in the letter. I have an anti-tracking potion with me, no one was going to find me."

"I don't think you get it Harry. I don't think you get it at all! If you don't learn to control your emotions you're not going to be of any use in the war."

"I'm working on that Professor. But my work is going to be wasted if you don't stop yelling at me." Responded Harry leaping out of his seat, the volume of his voice also increasing.

Things were already getting out of control. Both were yelling at each other.

"How many more people are going to have to die before you realize this is real?!?" Yelled Remus.

For Harry this was the last straw. **"I had to die you jackass!"**

Remus sunk to his knees at the realization of what he had just said. "Oh Jesus Harry, I didn't mean it. You know that."

Harry's response was barely audible. Barely above a whisper. "No, I don't think I do. Now get out."

"Harry, please!"

"I made an oath Mr. Lupin, don't make me break it. Get out."

A staring contest ensued for the next few moments, and when it became painfully obvious to Lupin that Harry wasn't going to back down he turned and left the room.

"By the way Lupin," said Harry in a painfully cold voice, "I would suggest not informing the Headmaster that I am here under the ancient rite of sanctuary."

The aforementioned werewolf just continued on his way out of the chamber. The feeling of pain coming off the man was so strong that they could taste and smell it.

_' Pain,' _reckoned Ginny, _'smells a lot like fear.'_

Remembering that this was not a time for reckoning and for deep thoughts Ginny went to comfort Harry.

"Harry-"

"Just don't Ginny. I did what I had to do."

"But-"

"Don't."

The room fell into an awkward silence. At once, spontaneously even, Harry walked over to a desk and started writing a letter. He wrote furiously for a few moments, then quickly tied up the parchment and sent it to some unknown recipient. He left the room then, and after a few minutes of the water running Harry emerged wearing black silk pyjama pants.

Not making any eye contact Harry went to bed. After a quick shower Ginny did the same.

It was chilly the next morning as the two went for a walk around the Hogwarts grounds. An almost full circle around the lake went by, when the screech of an owl was heard over the forest. Lifting his arm up, Harry deftly caught the weight, which was Hedwig. She appeared to have a rather large package with her. Harry ripped open the box and stared amazedly at the contents.

"What is it?" Ginny urged. And as a response Harry handed her a rather cryptic note.

_'A promise made is a promise repaid.'_

A.N:We'll just leave this here. Thanks again to all my reviewers. Ta.


	6. Rain Storm

It was, perhaps, the worst rainstorm Hogwarts had gotten in a long time. The rain was pelting the ground at an alarming speed; water was bouncing off the lake in the form of mini tsunamis off the surface. One would be mad to be outside in this weather, yet there was one figure walking around the lake, towards the boundaries of the forest.

This one, dark and solitary figure was walking at a slow pace, and it seemed that the speed of the water didn't bother him. He seemed to be in a state of deep thought. Though, every once in awhile he would look up when the wind blew particularly strongly or if the wind howled particularly loud through the tall trees. The wind was strong, but it could not move his thin frame at all.

This one, was one whose thoughts haunted him particularly, and finally, after 3 days of being cooped up in the room with her (as attractive as she might be) with out any relief from the rain in sight, he slipped out of the room. It was only about three in the afternoon, but the sky was a dark as the night sky, covered completely by the clouds. Every once in awhile, the sky would be illuminated by a flash of lightening.

First, he thought about Ginny. The change, he had noticed, really changed her. Instead of the pale girl with freckles and pink cheeks and orange-red hair, and normal brown eyes, she became a girl with smooth porcelain skin- no colour except for cherry lips, her hair was now closer to the shade of blood than to the shade of her family's and her eyes became such a dark brown they were almost black.

She was now stronger and faster and slimmer and quieter and he hated to think so but more attractive. She was rarely ever timid, as she had been sometimes before. She knew what she wanted and how to get it. Mostly feeding, if he didn't want to feed she would make him.

She was going to demand to visit the Chamber soon, he could feel it, but he wasn't sure whether he wanted to go down there. She wasn't the only one who had bad memories about that place. She wanted to know, she deserved to know, but he didn't want her to know. He didn't want to go down to the place to her nightmares, to his nightmares, to the place where it all started.

He didn't want her to feel the pain he knew that the trip would cause; he didn't want her to have to know what he knew. Have to feel the pain of returning where you knew bad memories, to where everything was inevitable, to where everything was far too real for the normal human psyche.

He thought a long time about her, a long time just walking in the rain and thinking. She was the first topic on his mind, as he was spending most of the summer with her, in close quarters, and that he thought she was very attractive, and that they were sharing a bed, only to stop the dreams and to ease the loneliness between the times of going to bed and sleep, and between waking and the time late enough to rise. It was best if they didn't go wandering about when some errant professors might be wandering the halls; the risk of being caught and exposed was far too large, and far too dangerous.

Things hadn't gotten better since they got the guns. They had bee cooped inside, it had been raining for the past three days. Far too wet to use the guns, and far too dangerous, especially with the wind. Hogwarts was magical land, and the wind was particularly strong. Ginny was itching to try out the guns, and he had been temperamental since Lupin had said all those things. All those things that were **true**, if they hadn't been so true they wouldn't have mattered. It was just like the Dursleys, and that's what bothered him, what they said all had a base of truth.

'_Oh Sirius_...' What had he done? He should have learnt, he should have known. He was always listening to what anyone who had been alive in the first reign of terror said about Voldemort. That he was a monster, that he had no respect for human life, that he was cunning, that he was intelligent, that he would use someone's weakness for his own gain, that he spread discord in the blink of an eye.

'_I guess, _he thought _that I never really believed it. Never believed he was as awful as everyone knew. Always saw some of me in him, all alone in the world, no parents to watch his back, no one who cared. Lonely and scared'._

His own humanity be damned! He hadn't believed those who knew best, and he was rightfully suffering for his mistakes. Why had he thought he would be spared? Why did he think he was any different from everyone else?

Sirius had been so full of life. He hadn't always been happy, even less this past year, when he was cooped up in his old house. _The Noble and most ancient house of Black._ But his features were always conveying some sort of emotion. And when he was happy, you knew he was happy. Knew that there was something good left in the world, because a man trapped in the bowels of hell could be happy. And when he was mad, you would thank the gods that he wasn't angry with you.

But through all these mood swings one could see, if one wasn't caught up in a hatred of years long since passed and gone and forgotten, there was the inherent goodness that distinguished and separated him from his family all those years ago. Of course it was hidden, wrapped away under layers of anger and sadness, that on occasion caused him to act out without thinking of the consequences, layers formed by living with his family, '_the noble and most ancient house of Black'_, for so many years before leaving. The name was enough to cause a bad taste in Harry's mouth, and cause him to feel nauseous.

That was the last link that he would ever have with his parents. Since Mr. Lupin was such a jackass, and that Professor Dumbledore wasn't to be trusted, and Snape would as soon tell the truth as turn himself into Voldemort.

He had the Weasleys, although he wasn't sure that they would want to speak to him, since he had run away, harboured their daughter away from the world, and got her bitten by a vampire, and the family blood given to some distant immortal more warped than Voldemort, but perhaps a tad less evil than the 'Dark Lord'. Weasley blood had never been given out before, and was perhaps some of the purest blood in the world.

What would Ron and Hermione think now? They were probably still mad at him for running away, and for striking out at them in the letter he wrote. It had been a bit low, but he had been angry and was writing in the heat of the moment. Not to mention that they had been going out for a while and that they hadn't seen fit to tell him until then, the most miserable time of the year for him. All alone at the Dursleys and now all alone at school. He was thankful for Ginny, although she probably didn't even think of him as a friend. More an acquaintance really, and he didn't blame her, he had been a jerk sometimes. Well, a lot of the time. More like all the time if you thought about it. All the time was a more accurate indicator.

When would Voldemort take this all away from him? He must be plotting to try something some time. But, maybe he didn't understand? Voldemort didn't have any friends he had lackeys. That might be a deterrent to attack. Why waste time and power and energy plotting to kill someone your enemy didn't care about, if destabilizing was your aim? You don't. So, they might be safe for a while, that mean he must find a way to protect them, even if that meant risking himself for a while. His sire had said that only one thing can kill a vampire.

He noticed that he had stopped his walking, and he continued, discreetly wiping a solitary tear off his face. Not even inconspicuous, vampires only cry blood, because they only drink blood. _I was not crying because of pain_, a statement meant only to try to convince himself of that. No one else was around to see his tears, and feel the pain, and to hug him better, as the rain pelted down.

Suddenly a noise caught his ear, even through the storm he could hear it. The noise of someone trying to be quiet when they're waiting to say something very important. Looking around he noticed a lone figure headed out towards him from the castle. It smelled like a werewolf. '_Dammit_!' Didn't that stupid beast know when he should be sticking his snout into other people's business?

Luckily for Harry, an opening into the forest presented itself, and escape became possible. He must get out of there as quickly as possible, werewolves could be pretty fast if they needed to, even in human form. He quickly scurried into the forest and hid among the trees. The werewolf would never think to look in there-, as he still felt bound by human rules and such.

Ginny's P.O.V

She sighed. What was he doing out there? It was raining so hard that the drops might bruise human flesh. A good thing he wasn't human else he might be bruised and this would pose quite a problem.

Ginny wished that she had been first to think of slipping outside. Being cooped up in this room was about as annoying as being cooped up at Headquarters. Except no one here would nag you to work or eat or to go away. And she wasn't near her bother or his girlfriend, '_or_ _girlFIEND, if you want to be clever'. _They could be quite annoying to be around all the time. About as annoying as a mopey Harry. She understood that he was angry but he was really getting on her nerves.

But, she reflected _he's cute when he mopes_. There was something about Harry... She had lied to Hermione when she told her that she was over him. Knowingly lied, counting on the fact that Hermione would trust her no matter what.

She wouldn't mind having someone like Harry around for eternity. He was friendly, but not spineless. He was temperamental, but he would never be violent without a reason. And not bad looking either...

Change had made him porcelain pale; his lips weren't cherry, but still a bit pink. You could see the red, from him mother of course, in his hair now, like natural highlights that hadn't been there before. The transformation had left him just as thin, but with a bit more apparent muscle all over, and his eyes were particularly emerald, although they didn't sparkle like they had before. They might never sparkle like they had before. The innocence was gone, he was jaded and he was angry.

Often, she wondered whether she looked like that-jaded and angry, whether or not her eyes had changed after her first year. There was so much that she didn't know and that she deserved to know. Like what actually had gone on in the chamber, whether or not she had really died. And there were only two beings that could get into the room.

One not human- a fiend of the worst sort- half demon half snake. Fanatical to a cause that made no sense to anyone- except the demon and his thralls. The other not human anymore either- a young vampire melancholic and angry. Fighting against something that was bound to the cause of world domination and would destroy anything and anyone who got in its way.

One she didn't want to see ever again (though she knew she probably would) - a year with him had put a taint on her soul. And the other she would stay with for the entire summer. Who treated her well and bought her stuff. But also left an effect on her. By being a Weasley and by being around Harry Potter. But what her sire had said... that his master had been longing to get his hands on Weasley Blood. _Pure and untainted Weasley blood... _

Thinking of her sire made her think of the entire summer.

Thinking back to the night they came here she had to suppress a shudder, Lupin knew better than to say something like that to Harry. He knew him well enough to figure out that he would be blaming himself- like always. And yet he loses his temper and yells what he doesn't mean and what was furthest from his mind. And Snape. He always did have to be out of line, and angry, and bitter. Another one of the young and dead.

A brush was a friend- hair is a fiend. Blood red hair, down to the hips. Cherry lips, white skin, and black eyes deep like death. Thin, hips and waist. Legs long and slim, arms with perfect hands for a perfect suffocation. So dirty inside. So clean on the out. All alone, though surrounded. Where was her angelic protector? Surely not moping in the rain.

Where was he exactly? While lost in her thoughts, she had lost sight of him. In this sort of mood, he could really hurt someone badly. Like Lupin, who was currently walking the grounds in hopes of finding Harry. Why was she constantly surrounded by idiots?

_Wait! Lupin is wandering around the grounds? _(She thought.) Thoughts could wait, but Lupin couldn't!

A.N.: Hello all. It really has be too long since I updated. I promise I will try not to wait so long between updates, but it really is a matter of inspiration. I'll stop now. Originally I had a pretty little note all written out and such, but somehow it got deleted, so I'm redoing it.

There were some questions, so I'll try to answer them.

LoireLoa: Some answers to your questions if you're actually reading this:

Ginny's hair did change, a bit obvious that- as it was explained in the first part of the chapter.

Yes, the package was guns, that also being explained in the chapter.

I (or Harry if you prefer) **was** referring to the fact that Snape had been a Death Eater (though it would explain some things). It's hard to be sneaky when you're under scrutiny. And Voldemort wouldn't be pleased.

Lupin has not realized it. Stupid werewolf, no CONSTANT VIGILENCE! for him. Dumbledore doesn't know either because Lupin doesn't. Dumbledore thinks that Harry and Ginny are far far away causing mischief.

Harry meant that he had to die in two ways. His soul had to die (because of the Deaths of Sirius et al.) and his body had to die (because of his new found vampirism.)

As for an H/G ship, you'll just have to wait and see...

That's all folks!

Ta!


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